Jaromir Jagr‘s tenure with the New Jersey Devils got off to a rocky start, but fans likely won’t mind if he’s ready for the season opener. Right now, it looks like he might be able to do them one better.

Jagr practiced on Tuesday for the first time since Sept. 12 due to a hip/back injury he believes he sustained during his 15-hour flight to New Jersey on Sept. 9. With that out of the way, he’s starting to think about playing in a preseason contest.

“If I’m going to have a good practice tomorrow, maybe it would be a good idea to play against Philly (in Thursday’s preseason finale),” Jagr told the Bergen Record. “But you guys have got to talk to the coaches first and (GM) Lou (Lamoriello) is going to make the decision.”

It’s worth noting that Tuesday’s practice was lightly attended because players projected to participate in tonight’s preseason contest weren’t in attendance. He’ll skate with the team again on Wednesday when they have a full practice.

Even at the age of 41, Jagr is a solid top-six forward, but his health are an ongoing concern. Although he might still be available for the Devils’ season opener, this day-to-day ailment could unfortunately be a preview of things to come.